Jim Walter with Visit Cheyenne says visitors spent $346 million in Laramie County last year, a 4 percent growth over 2016.

"That's almost $1 million a day that's coming into our community contributed by people that don't live here," said Walter.

Walter says the spending supported 2,970 local jobs and accounted for nearly $20 million in state and local taxes.

"From a public safety standpoint, the money generated by tourism here in Laramie County, our local taxes, would pay for 73 firefighters," said Walter.

"In terms of local impact (and) revenue it means a big deal, but statewide it's a huge deal," said Gov. Mead. "You're talking about 32,000 people that are direct or indirectly employed by the travel and tourism industry."

"I've watched the revenue of the State of Wyoming kind of spike up and down," Gov. Mead added. "The amazing thing about tourism, it's like the stabilizing industry because year after year it just keeps chugging along."